Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The 'nautical' star is a symbolic star associated with the sea services of the United States armed forces and with tattoo culture. It is usually rendered as a five-pointed star in dark and light shades counterchanged in a manner reminiscent of a compass rose. The nautical star frequently encountered as an informal signifier indicating membership in the United States Navy or Marine Corps. The symbol recalls both the five-pointed star of the US national flag and the distinctive color pattern of the compass rose found on many old nautical charts.